Strength
by SinsofMidnight
Summary: [The story formally known as "Strong"] Strong. It was how she liked her sake, her coffee, and her feelings. Strong. It was how he liked his shy new fukataichō. But what if that strength is nothing but an illusion she produces to protect herself from those that would look deeper? Jūshiro Ukitake/OC (Mizuki Shindo) Rated M because you can't spell Shinigami without it!
1. Chapter 1

_This story is the product of extensive editing I did to one of my first fan-fictions, a piece entitled "Strong"._

_I hope you enjoy what I have so far of the new piece!_

* * *

**Strength**

**_Fandom:_**_ Bleach_

**_Teaser:_**_ "Kyōraku-taichō made a face. 'What is this _swill_?' he asked.  
Absently, I retrieved my coffee mug from the man's hand. '_That_ is my coffee, Kyōraku-taichō. I'd be grateful if you wouldn't dump it.' "_

**_Inspiration:_**_ My insane love for one Jūshiro Ukitake. I have no clue why I love him so much, but I totally do._

**_Rating: _**_M, because you can't spell "shinigami" without it!_

**_Warnings:  
_**_-Lemony Goodness  
-Hetero coupling(s)  
-Drugs  
-Flirty men  
-Alcohol  
-Invitations  
-Alternate sexualities involved  
-Large breasts  
-Earth Mother moments_

**_Main Pairing: _**_Jūshiro Ukitake/OC (Mizuki Shindo)_

**_Minor Pairings:  
_**_-(brief)Renji Abarai/Mizuki Shindo  
-(onesided) Rukia Kutchki/Mizuki Shindo  
-(onesided) Toshiro Hitsugaya/Unknown  
-(onesided) Rangiku Matsumoto/Toshiro Hitsugaya  
-(assumed) Byakuya Kutchki/Mizuki Shindo_

**_Setting: _**_In the Seretei (Soul Society). Alternate timeline!_

**_POV:_**_ Mizuki and Jūshiro switch off a bit, and Rukia has her say at times… First person perspective from all of them!_

**_Summary:_**_ Strong. It was how she liked her sake, her coffee, and her feelings. Strong. It was how he liked his shy new fukataichō. But what if that strength is nothing but an illusion she produces to protect herself from those that would look deeper?  
Ukitake-taichō has taken a pair of female fukataichōs. The first one is Rukia Kuchiki, the adopted daughter of the Kutchiki family and a member of the Thirteenth Division since she graduated the academy. The second one is Mizuki Shindo, who comes with an impressive record, a bankai, and a strange affection for paperwork. Yet more intriguing than Mizuki's powers is the distance she puts between herself and the male shinigamis, aside from a select few. Jūshiro finds himself fascinated with her strength and character, but will that fascination be shaken when he finds out she's not as strong as he believes her to be? And what happens when he realizes she treats him differently than any other man she comes into contact with?_

**_Additional ANs:_**_ "Strong" was originally of my first forays into the realm of OCs and probably my first fan-fiction. I did enjoy writing it. It also has had a rather good reception.  
As this fan-fiction continues to be so well received, I have decided to take the time to edit/update the story. Different aspects of the story _will_ change because I failed to do my research initially. Other parts may also be subject to change, but this will be a long process, since I will be going chapter by chapter, line by line, and word by word with my editing.  
"Strength" is the product of these extensive revisions. The fan-fiction "Strong" will be completely removed from this site, and I will post this one in its stead. However, the "Strong" universe that I play in from time to time will retain the name of the original fan-fiction.  
It's important to note that I suffer from an "Everybody wants my OC" mentality on a very common basis –especially in this story!  
Also, I don't know if this will break anyone's heart, but I'm changing the name of her Zanpakutō… especially since said Zanpakutō is a product of my own imagination :P You will get to meet him in the re-write (I hope). His new name is Akihiko (__晶彦__), which should roughly mean "sparkling prince."  
Forgive any horrible translations: I used Google Translate, and it's not fool-proof.  
-Akihiko's release phrase: __太陽より明るく輝く__— "Taiyō yori akaruku kagayaku" – Eng: Shine brighter than the sun  
-Special Attack #1: __晴れやかな旋風__ – "Hareyakana Senpū" – Eng: Radiant Whirlwind_

A bonus for all of you who read and enjoyed "Strong": several scenes have been expanded –including one rather sensual scene that never made it into "Strong". All will_ be present in "Strength"._

**_Universe:_**_ This is the extensive edit of the first story and the universe-namer for my "Strong" universe. It comes before "Kisuke" and "All I Want For Christmas"._

**_Word Count:_**_ There were11,045 words from the original draft. I'll get back to you on how many are in the edited version ^^._

**_Honorifics for the Uninitiated:_**_ I'll admit it: I can be a snob about things. I'm one of those people who prefers to watch the subbed version of the anime. But I realize most people are not as weird as I am, so here's a brief vocabulary lesson to keep in mind as you read this story.  
What I'm about to explain are called honorifics. Since politeness and formality are ingrained so deeply into the Japanese language, I find it simpler to simply write using the honorifics when I write fan-fictions. It helps to explain certain character relationships and interactions. I've also included a few common words, as well. Let's get started, shall we?  
* -san:_ This is the most commonly used honorific. It's the polite way to address someone you're not on close terms with. It can be used with the first name or the family name.  
_* -chan:_ This is used for friendly familiarity, and mostly toward younger females. It also carries a connotation of cuteness, so it's frequently used with nicknames for both genders.  
_* -kun:_ This is also for more informal use with friends and classmates, only this one is more frequently associated with males. It can also be used in a professional environment when addressing a subordinate.  
_* -sama:_ Indicates a great deal of respect or admiration.  
_*- taichō:_ In the context of Bleach, "taichō" refers to captains. Example: Ukitake-taichō is Captain (Jushiro) Ukitake._  
* -fukataichō:_ In the context of Bleach, "fukataichō" refers to vice captains. Example: Abari-taichō is Vice Captain (Renji) Abarai.  
* _-dono:_ This roughly means "lord" or "master". It does not equate noble status; rather it is a term akin to "milord".  
_* Onii:_ This is the more casual term for older brother. It's generally seen with an honorific attached. (Rukia calls Byakukya "Onii-sama".)_  
* Onee:_ It's the casual term for older sister. Also usually seen with an honorific attached.  
_* [blank]:_ Not using an honorific when addressing someone indicates that you have permission to speak intimately with someone. This is usually used with close friends, family, and lovers. Foregoing honorifics when you don't have such permission is frequently considered extremely rude (Ichigo does it to Byakuya in a lot of the episodes before the first time he defeats him; it just doesn't translate well without the honorifics.)  
_Please note that "-taichō" and "fukataichō" do have other meanings in other contexts. If you are reading a manga that uses them for another purpose (whether fan-scanned and translated or put out by certain publishers that maintain the honorifics) there will probably be a translator note to tell you what they mean._

**_Additional Familiar Vernacular:_**_I can be absolutely anal about using the Japanese words, but it occurs to me that some of these terms may be completely unfamiliar to my audience if they only view, say, the English dubs. So, here's the cheat-sheet!**  
*** reiatsu – _spirit pressure. A common shinigami skill is being able to sense the reiatsu of other specific people. In some cases ,the amount of reiatsu someone releases can bring lower-level shinigami to their knees and render them unable to function.  
_* konsō _– soul burial. When a Plus (or a clensed Hollow) is sent to the Seretei._  
* Seretei _– Soul Society. I tend to use it generally, as in the whole realm of the afterlife, but it can also be more specifically applied to the area that the shinigami live and train in._  
* Shinigami_ – Soul Reaper (literally, "Death God"). C'mon, you know this one :P  
_* shihakusho_ – the shinigami uniform. It consists of black hakema [lower garment] and kosode [upper garment].  
_* shunpo_ – flash step. Incredibly high-speed movements. I believe it can be used as both singular and plural. There are several varieties of shunpo, and as a whole, the techniques are refered to as "hohō".  
_* Zanjutsu_ – Sword fighting techniques for the Zanpakutō. The most basic fighting technique.  
_* Hakuda –_ An unarmed fighting technique that makes use of one's own body in a fight.  
_* Kidō –_ Advanced spells that require strong spiritual power: Hadō and Bakudō.

_If you have any other questions about the vernacular/terms used in this story, please make use .com.  
The Bleach Wiki is a terrific resource!_

* * *

_Mizuki:_

Through the window, I watched Kyouraku-taichō and Ukitake-taichō as they sat on the step. Ukitake-taichō smiled at something Kyouraku-taichō said before coughing lightly.

As Ukitake-taichō's new fukutaichō, believe me when I say that if Urahara could bottle up my paranoia about Ukitake-taichō's health, he could sell it to human politicians. And that was why I was staring out the window and watching their interactions like some sort of voyeur, despite being aware of the fact that my new taichō is a very private person.

Kyouraku-taichō smiled and shed his pink kimono and draped it over my taichō, who smiled at him and laughed, even as several strands of his long white hair fell into his eye.

Feeling that my taichō's health was no longer at risk and that I should just let the two of them have a few personal moments without me spying on them, I turned back to my paperwork, which was, more accurately, my taichō's paperwork. I had been blessed: Kiyone and Sentarō had tried diligently to keep up with the paperwork until I had been selected, but it seemed that my co-fukataichō, Kutchiki Rukia, was not blessed with my enjoyment of paperwork. Thanks to their efforts, I didn't have a _huge_ backlog –just several sizable stacks.

The paperwork kept me at the division a lot –I felt more like a glorified office manager than a fukataichō most of the time. More frequently, I confused my role with that of an administrative assistant, especially since I spent a lot of time alone chasing after anything my taichō might need. My normal duties should have included training with the division, but luckily, I had been able to pass off that task to Rukia. The paperwork was my area of expertise: she could handle the rest of it better. Yet I spent more time watching my taichō than on work, like a high school girl with a crush on her sensei.

I'd never been one to listen to idle gossip, but the Seireitei is a bit like a small-town in the fact that _every_ shinigami seemed to live on the blasted gossip. I hadn't been dead long enough to assimilate that habit, but I did pay attention to it at times.

Rumor had it that Ukitake-taichō and Kyouraku-taichō were in the middle of a secret long-term romantic fling. I know, I know, but that was the rumor, anyway. In all truth, I knew at least three shinigami that would cry their eyes out if it were true –and trust me, if it were truth, I would have seen some undeniable evidence with all the time I spent at my Division.

Then again, I never had put much stock in rumors. If you wanted to believe _those_, apparently I was having secret trysts with Matsumoto-fukataichō and I only imbibe large amounts of sake when our relationship was on the fritz because I didn't know how to handle the age gap. In all honesty, I can acknowledge that Rangiku is a very attractive woman and if I were interested in _women_, that would be one thing. But apparently the rumor mill forgot to do their sexuality research. Again.

Every rumor has it's origins, of course. For Kyouraku-taichō and Ukitake-taichō, it was their long-term friendship. Like since-we-went-to-the-Academy-together long-term. For Rangiku and myself, I suspected that it might stem from our long nights of drinking together -either that or the fact we were both so busty that we tried to escape our shihakusho. It doesn't help matters that all of the other female shinigamis would come to us for romantic advice. _That_ fact I was at least sure could be partially blamed on the large breasts that apparently would scream "Earth Mother" to anyone who would listen.

My eyes were drawn back to the backlog of paperwork. _Now really isn't the best time to be thinking about the rumors flying around the Seireitei or staring longingly after your taichō,_ I chastised myself. With a heavy sigh, I retrieved a stack of fifty forms and a pen before getting to work. Normally, a shinigami that had achieved bankai, as I had, would not have simply taken a position as a co-fukataichō –it would have been more of a matter of working my way up into a position. However, at least two taichōs had steered me toward this position for ulterior motives that had yet to rear their ugly heads. Well, that, or because they wanted to watch me be tortured by being forced to memorize each form and how to fill it out _and_ know the number for each form. I had been extensively prepared for my position as fukataichō for the Thirteenth Division because they wanted a "strong, nurturing shinigami" that could assist Rukia and help run things when the taichō was temporarily out of commission. I questioned how I fit the bill, but I went along with it.

"Oi! Shindo-fukataichō," a familiar voice greeted.

When I glanced up, I was a bit surprised. I hadn't heard him slip into the office. "Yes, Abarai-fukataichō?" I asked, assuming it was urgent business since the tall male had obviously run here from the Sixth Division. His crimson hair was visibly a little more than damp with sweat. Figuring he was somewhere between 'parched' and 'dying of dehydration', I rose from my seat and motioned for him to take a seat as I poured him a glass of water and handed it to him.

He accepted the offering graciously. I knew a few people who would have objected to the way he gulped down half of it before he spoke, but it didn't bother me at all. "What are you still doing in your office, Shindo-fukataichō?"

I raised my brow at him. Clearly, this was _not_ a business matter. In fact, I was pretty sure it was the exact opposite of business. Motioning vaguely to the stacks of paperwork, I gave him my reply. "_That_ surplus of paperwork is exactly why I'm still here. Rangiku sent you after me, I take it?"

His cheeks turned bright pink. "She asked me to check on you, Shindo-fuka–"

"Oh, for goodness sake. Please call me Mizuki," I groaned. "It's really weird to be called that right now, since you were sent here to drag me to the bar."

A grin appeared, though the flush remained. "Then call me Renji, since you're supposed to be drinking with me right now."

Our conversation would have sounded weird to anyone else, like we invited every person we drank with for a night to call us by our first names. However, Renji, Rangiku, and I had been drinking together for years now, and we already had the intimacy of close friends. But there's something about being in one of the Division rooms that made you want to use an honorific or a title every time you spoke.

"Welll… then, give me another half hour, Renji. In half an hour, I'll be sitting right next to you at the bar and drinking way too much sake. In the meantime, I have paperwork." I crinkled my nose at him, like I hated to stay behind and do paperwork –quite a lie, since I actually really enjoy it. I shoved my glasses back up to the bridge of my nose.

He raised a brow at me. "There's no way I can get you out of here any earlier?"

"Nope. I've gotta catch up on these." I turned my attention back to the form I'd been in the middle of filling out when he had arrived.

He stood and walked to the desk, only to touch a curly strand of hair that dangled in front of my ear. "I'll be back in a half hour if you've not gotten there." His fingers slid down the line of my jaw before he left me alone with my forms.

Alone in the office for only ten minutes, I found my gaze drifting to the window to rest on my taichō. The setting sun reflected its colors on his long, pale hair. He sat alone, still draped in Kyouraku-taichō's kimono, staring at the sky as if trying to memorize this single moment in time.

Taking a deep breath, I ripped my attention away and turned back to the forms, guessing I could get a chunk done in my remaining twenty minutes. Or I could spend the same twenty minutes mooning over my taichō. One of them was a more profitable endeavor.

I had lost track of time, but I had made it a quarter of the way through the portion I had separated out before I felt the need to stretch. Rising to my feet, I arched my back until I heard –and felt– a very satisfying _crack_. My next priority was my abundant breasts, which were now spilling over my shihakusho because I'd spent so long leaning forward. As far as I knew, my taichō was still outside –he enjoyed the summer heat, so it wasn't much of an oddity. Absently, I wondered if I had been this exposed when Renji had slipped in as I tucked my breasts back where they belonged.

Apparently, I had impeccable timing: I heard my taichō enter the room just as soon as I'd tucked them away. I spun to face him. The pink kimono was still draped over his shihakusho and his hayori, and I couldn't help but think to myself that it looked better on _my_ taichō than on Kyouraku-taichō.

He blinked at me in surprise. "Shindo-fukataichō. Why are you still here?"

Gesturing at the piles of paperwork, I smiled in spite of myself. "Well, the paperwork doesn't complete itself, Ukitake-taichō. I won't be here all night –I have to meet Renji-kun and Rangiku-chan in a little bit."

He gave me that smile that had always made me think of sunshine. "Are you always so diligent, Shindo-fukataichō?"

"No," I answered truthfully. "There are a few moments that I'll let down my hair." My hand instinctively went to the prim bun I wore.

He frowned at me. "Why did you choose to take this position?" he asked me. "You already have a bankai. You could do much better for yourself. After all, there are still divisions without a captain at all." He stepped closer to me. If I had just reached out with my hand, I would have touched his chest.

I swallowed hard, having expected this question eventually. But his proximity added fear to my apprehension, though if I were perfectly honest, I was feeling more than just those things. "You needed a second fukataichō, since Rukia-chan flounders when it comes to the paperwork," I returned, trying to hide my nerves. "I was willing and able to take the position and the responsibilities that came with it. It isn't any more complicated than that." Swallowing hard, I permitted myself a step backward, still startled by how he affected me even through the heavy veil of fear.

"…Shindo-funkataichō," he asked me softly, "why are you so afraid of me?"

I shouldn't have been so stunned that he figured me out so quickly. I felt heat rise to crest in my cheeks. "It's… it's not _you_, Ukitake-taichō. It's more like… anyone who's male."

"Yet you're fine with Renji-kun and the entirety of your former division," he remarked.

I didn't feel like letting him poke any more holes into the way I saw the world. Besides, my previous choice of division had been so I would _force_ myself to get over it, not that it had worked entirely. "Sake can make you comfortable topless, too, Ukitake-taichō," I returned, my tone wry and my comment meant to end this conversation.

* * *

_Jūshiro:_

I was surprised at my strange and sudden urge to blush. I had obviously never anticipated that my new fukataichō would be so forward, mostly because of her mousey appearance and her shyness. When would I ever learn to stop judging the books by their covers?

"I have been drinking with Rangiku and Renji for years now. I'm actually surprised we haven't managed to spark more of those infamous, ridiculous rumors. Anyway, when you find out that you hang all over the guy you drink with when you get drunk, it's just good etiquette to talk to him and make sure he's aware that most of what happened was the sake talking through your body. And as for my previous division, the same can also apply." She held herself stiffly, her gaze mostly leveled at the floor.

One would have to be blind to not realize she was incredibly uncomfortable around me. Yet for some reason, she'd still taken this position. She could have chosen another division with more female influence, but she hadn't.

I opened my mouth to reply to her blunt statements, only to be interrupted by a harsh, body-racking cough. I tried but couldn't control it. The force of the cough nearly doubled me over.

The woman who couldn't seem to keep enough distance between us was by my side in an instant. Her hand rubbed my back in an attempt to sooth my discomfort as she gently led me to the chair across from her desk. If I hadn't been in the middle of a coughing fit, I would have been too shocked to stay upright.

Was this the same woman had worn the look of cornered pray only mere moments before when I had stepped close enough to touch her? She had professed that her fear was of my gender, yet she now reacted completely unaware of that. She was gentle, efficient, and soothing, like the best practitioners in the medical profession.

"Are you alright, Ukitake-taichō?" she inquired as my coughing subsided. With a soft smile, she handed me a hot cup of green tea with a little lemon and a little honey. Not waiting for an answer, she carefully looked over each of my hands before she let me take even a sip of the hot tea. Concern danced in her eyes. "Do I need to send for Unohana-taichō?"

"I'm fine," I told her, my throat feeling remarkably better after a few sips of the tea. "There's no need to disturb Unohana-san."

She stepped back suddenly, putting a little distance between us, and offered a small shy smile. "I… I apologize. I reacted without thinking."

A silence fell between us, and it seemed to put a strain on both of us. However, she was the one to fill it.

"I was a doctor when I was human. I guess some instincts and responses won't fade no matter how long I've been dead." Her smile was a little sadder than before and I found myself wanting to make her happier. I couldn't help but wonder why mentioning such things would make her so sad.

A warm smile pulled across my lips. "It's fine, Shindo-fukataichō. No harm done. In fact, I think maybe Unohana-san won't have to make nearly as many trips out here."

She flushed, and I couldn't help but notice how adorable she looked when she blushed. "A-anyway I can be of assistance, Ukitake-taichō," she responded, bowing to me.

"You know, you can call me Jūshiro," I invited her, wondering how my first name would sound with her voice. I wasn't sure if it was a whim or some sort of deeper desire, but I couldn't help but offer her the intimacy of my first name.

"O-okay, Jūshiro-taichō. You can call me Mizuki," she offered shyly.

I wasn't surprised that she'd taken it that way. She was seriously shy around me, and nothing but time would be able ease her into accepting the intimacy I had offered. I was still a little surprised that I had offered such an intimacy to her, honestly. Yet, she did call me by my first name, and the way it sounded in her lovely voice didn't disappoint. Shoving those thoughts to the back of my mind, I smiled gently at her. "Alright, Mizuki-fukataichō."

It might have been just me, but I had a feeling it wasn't. When our eyes met, I had trouble tearing my gaze away from her wide expressive eyes. Instead of looking away, I tried to decided on what color her eyes were: were they more emerald or dark jade?

She finally managed to tear her gaze from mine, only to glace at her watch. "Oh! I'd better get going, or Renji will drag me out of here by my hair," she exclaimed, her tone walking a tightrope between wry and amused.

She looked at me, a shy smile on her lips and a blush gracing her cheeks with color. Then she reached up and snagged the strands of hair that had fallen in front of my eyes before tucking them behind my ear.

Her smile turned sweet an instant before she fled the office and ran out to meet Renji-kun, who'd already come looking for her. When she reached him, she threw her arms around him and wrapped her legs around his waist, since he'd managed to catch her.

She smiled and laughed and touched so easily with Renji-kun. I didn't like that I envied him everything he had of her. Yet it was only fair, since he received her smile, her melodic laugh, her proximity. She was so at ease with him that it made me realize just how stiff and formal she was with me. I wanted her to be at ease with _me_. I wanted to hear her laugh, to receive her hugs and her smiles.

I was utterly unprepared for the surge of envy that sung through me.

_What in the _hell _is wrong with me?_ I wondered, trying to remember what I'd been doing before I realized she was still here. It was a failure. All I could remember was how empty the rooms felt when she wasn't in them.

* * *

_Mizuki:_

Ranguku would wait all day for that first hug. She'd told me so once while under the influence of a truly impressive amount of sake. Since then, I always tried to make that first hug count since I knew how much she waited for it.

"How goes the unrequited love?" she asked into the curve of my ear, trying to by-pass having the fight the volume in the bar.

"Not so great," I returned quietly, smiling wryly. Her answering smile was very sad.

Hundreds of women in the Seretei would come to us on a weekly basis, all of them desperate for romantic advice. As such, it was horribly ironic that both of us were stuck on long-term unrequited loves. As fate would have it, we both ended up working under them: Rangiku under Hitsugaya-taichō and me under Jūshiro-taichō. After all, there had to be a _reason_ we always drank together after the workday, and sadly, it wasn't the taste of the sake –unfortunately, what we drank bore the taste of a cheaper variety than it was. Any other shinigami we could have chosen would have thrown himself at our feet to have the opportunity to warm our beds, but I supposed it was human nature that made us both crave the unattainable.

Renji eyed me critically. "You look _exhausted_, Mi-chan," he observed, reaching over to rub his thumb against the shadows beneath my eyes.

I couldn't help but smile at the tenderness in his tone and in his touch. "Gee, Ren, you sure know how to boost a girl's self-esteem," I teased him, poking his arm.

Rangiku handed me a cup of sake. "Have a drink. Maybe you'll feel better."

"We can dream," I intoned, but still took it gratefully.

She poured another cup and handed it to Renji. Grimly, we all _clinked_ our cups together and downed it. The first few rounds were always this way. Then one of us got utterly smashed and it became the amusement of the other two. On rare occasions, all three of us got _plastered_ and became the bar-room entertainment.

When we drained the first bottle, Renji was the one to go after the new bottle.

Rangiku leaned it, taking advantage of the brief moments before Renji would return and the drinking would continue. "What took you so long today, Mi-chan?" she asked, her eyes bright and dancing with curiosity.

"Ah, Jūshiro-taichō. He had a coughing fit that was a bit worrisome for the moment. He's fine," I assured her as her eyes gained a worried haze. "It was only worrisome in the moment."

Still, as one of the first shinigami I had met when I died 70 years ago, Rangiku knew me very, very well. "That's new –you calling him that, I mean. Did he ask you to, Mi-Mi?" she asked, forsaking the honorific in favor of her favored nickname for me when I was 'being completely adorable'.

As predictable as the moonrise, my face grew hot and I knew without any doubt I was blushing uncontrollably. "A-actually, he asked me to call him 'Jūshiro', but I… I'm just not ready to have that level of intimacy with him, so I pretended to misunderstand what he meant."

She cocked her head at me. "How long have you been one of his fukataichōs now?"

"Uh, a month, maybe? Long enough that I've made a good dent in the backed-up paperwork but not long enough to have cleared it all out." I shrugged.

"Has it really been so short a time? It feels like you've been his for years now."

I tried hard not to blush at that statement, considering how _long_ I'd been so drawn to my taichō. Unfortunately, with my complexion, I was pretty sure I'd blushed anyway.

Normally, Rangiku would have teased me relentlessly for such a reaction. Instead, she sighed heavily. "You're doing much better than I am, then. Hitsugaya-taichō _still_ won't let me call him by his first name, nor will he call me by mine, and I've been his fukataichō for a few decades now…"

It was hard to conceal my wince. Toshiro called me 'Mi-chan', just like almost everyone else. It had to hurt to see the man you love speak so intimately to your friend but maintain such a cool distance from you. I hoped that it resulted from a desire to keep their relationship in the office as business-like as possible, because it was sad to see how much that one thing hurt Rangiku.

A melancholy silence fell between the pair of us and lasted until Renji returned with the new bottle of sake. Her dejection seemed to dissipate like steam and her normal chipper attitude returned.

Yet I couldn't seem to forget that moment that she seemed so close to despair in the light of my 'achievement'.

So when Renji poured the next round, I downed it quickly, trying to drown out the pain I felt too much of from her with the sake she loved to imbibe.

* * *

_Mizuki:_

It took a while, but I did get thoroughly drunk. It was funny: when I was trying to forget something, I _hated_ my past experience with drinking in Division 11. Normally, the fact that I survived in Zaraki-taichō's squad without so much as a scratch –though, there were some pretty embarrassing photos from some of the drinking parties that Yumichika had _insisted_ on sending to Kyouraku-taichō when I became a fukataichō– was a _huge_ point of pride, especially since I was one person that could not be cowed by my former taichō's spiritual pressure. But whenever I drank, I regretted my time there. As a fresh recruit, I'd been an incredible lightweight; when I left, I could drink Ikkaku under the table.

I knew I was finally drunk enough to forget what I wished to forget the moment I slipped into Renji's lap, my thighs framing his hips, and nuzzled against his neck.

Rangiku, in her inebriated state, was extremely amused, if her loud wolf-whistles and cat-calls where any way to judge.

Luckily, Renji was either blessed with a higher alcohol tolerance or he was further from our particular level of intoxication. He took my action as a flashing neon sign that screamed, 'Get Mizuki back to her quarters before she does this to someone else'. So he pushed back from the table and effortlessly lifted me as he stood. I locked my legs around his waist, moving against his hips until I could feel him stirring against me. I really have no idea what possessed me to kiss him like I wanted to devour his essence until there was nothing left of him –let alone, kiss him like that in front of everyone in the bar! But he was so sweet and he tasted so good that I couldn't help myself, somehow.

He kissed me back readily enough, though, even as he navigated from the table toward the door. The walk to my quarters in the barracks was halting and awkward at best. I clung to his chest, my legs still circling his waist, the entire way back, all the while either kissing him or raining kisses on all the available skin I could reach.

When I nibbled on his neck, he nearly dropped me. "Oi! Mi-chan!" he yelped, barely managing to balance me and pull away at the same time.

By some miracle, he managed to maneuver me into the Thirteenth Division barracks, into my room, and onto my bed. More miraculous still, he managed to persuade me to unwrap my legs from around his waist. When he leaned in to press a goodnight kiss to my forehead, however, I intervened. And by "intervened", I mean that I framed his face with my hands and guided his lips to mine once more. He was so startled that he completely froze in place, and I allowed myself a small, husky chuckle.

Sliding my arms around his neck, I pulled him down over me. "Stay with me, Ren," I implored him.

"Mi-Mi, you'll regret it tomorrow. I know you. You _will_." He tried to pull away, but I wouldn't let him.

I had been alone for so long. No one had touched me in the 70 years since I'd come to live in the Seretei, and for much of the time before that. Most of the time, that was more than just okay: it was _encouraged_. Tonight, however, I just wanted to feel wanted, loved, cherished. My one night of weakness. And I couldn't think of anyone better suited to the task than Abarai Renji, one of my dearest friends. He would understand that I couldn't make him promises, that if I did I wouldn't be able to keep them. He saw so much, felt so much, knew so much about me. Something told me he would understand.

I gazed into his russet eyes. "Please, Ren. Just stay with me. Hold me. Let me feel something, for once." My tone was earnest, pleading with him to make me something better than I normally was on any given night.

Watching it war in his eyes was difficult. I knew he wanted me –at least on a physical level– because I'd felt it against me. I knew that he needed a night like this as much as I did. Renji had been so long without being touched that it made my years feel paltry in comparison. But I wouldn't make him. I wouldn't cajole or seduce him into this, because I would hate myself for taking such advantage of my friend.

I knew when he decided. He reached out and caressed from my cheek to my neck and I moved to achieve more of the contact.

"We've both been alone too long," he murmured before bring his lips to mine of his own accord.

His intensity was almost terrifying to me, but I reminded myself who this was. This was not _that man_. This was Renji, and I doubted that a gentler soul would ever walk upon the Earth.

I kept my eyes open, a constant visual reminder that I trusted Renji and had practically begged for this. When I tilted my head slightly, improving the contact, his tongue snuck out to taste the seam of my closed lips. Willingly, I opened to him, sliding my tongue against his. My trembling hands made their down to untie his obi and let his shihakusho open so that I could trace his muscled chest, dance my fingertips along the zig-zagging tribal tattoos.

His skin felt so soft under my calloused fingertips and I couldn't get enough of it. Yet I was quickly distracted by the crimson mane that I'd always wanted to touch. My hands quickly removed his hair tie and his headband, letting them fall wherever they would as I buried my hands in his silky hair. He immediately reciprocated the action, removing my hair tie and unwinding the prim bun that I usually sported. His fingers carded through the long strands gently.

Looking up at him, I could read the tenderness in his eyes. I brought my lips back to his in a hungry desperate kiss, needy as I was for more of what he offered me. One of his arms wrapped securely around me while his other hand stayed buried in my hair. With a smile, I eased us into a reversal of positions: I sat atop his hips, looking down at the beautiful man pinned beneath me, panting with want. From what I could tell, he really didn't mind this change very much at all.

I kissed his lips briefly before a soft smile took my lips. "You're so beautiful, Ren. So beautiful," I marveled.

His face flushed bright red even before I moved to pay attention to the strong column of his neck. I rained kisses on his skin, covering every inch I could find. Nipping lightly at his adam's apple brought forth a low groan that I felt to my bones. Suckling on his pulse point had him arching his back for more contact.

Parting his gaping garment even further, I measured his chest in kisses. Flat male nipples caught my attention, and I wondered if he was anywhere near as sensitive there as I was. Curiosity peaked, I tasted the skin around them first, circling closer and closer and closer until my tongue rested atop the now straining nipple. When I covered it with my mouth and began to suck on it, a rumbling noise echoed through his chest.

"Mi-Mi," he moaned out when my teeth scraped the tender skin.

His reactions made me feel powerful. As his reward for giving me that sensation, I turned my attention to his other nipple and repeated the cycle. When he was wriggling against me, his hips shallowly thrusting against my own and stirring sensations I hadn't felt in so long, I released my own moan, noting absently to myself that it was lower and throatier that I had expected it to be.

His response to my moan was to untie my obi, allowing my shihakusho to fall open and frame my sides. Warm sword-calloused hands eased the garment off of my shoulders and down my arms.

I shifted backwards, a bit embarrassed and fighting the urge to try to cover my breasts with my hands. Even so, startled russet eyes took in everything: what I was wearing and I was I wasn't.

He sat up and pulled me forward: into his lap and straddling him as I had earlier this evening. Now it was his turn to drive me wild, and he took the task very seriously.

His lips came back to mine as though linked and pulled together by strings. I kissed him back, giving just as good as I got even as my hands worked to fully disrobe my companion. When I achieved my success, his lips moved to trace my jaw-line. Sharp teeth nipped at my earlobe and a squeak slipped past my lips. I felt the evidence of his smile as he attended my neck with the same gentle, sensual persistence. When he sucked on my pulse point, my hips ground against his, our sexes separated only by a very thin barrier.

By the time he reached my collarbone, my chest heaved with exertion and need that had escaped my own careful control. Ever so gently, he cradled the heavy weight of my breast in his hand before flicking his tongue out against the already straining nipple. A wanton moan tore out of the back of my throat. When he suckled upon my nipple, all I could hear were the soft, keening noises that poured past my lips as I continued to shift my hips against his. It was the sweetest torment imaginable for both of us.

"Mi-Mi… Gods, you're going to kill me, Mi-Mi!" he gasped out when he took his attention away from my breast.

I was about to make a noise of protest when his mouth came to torment my other breast. When he latched onto me and nipped at me, my head fell back as I cried out. "Ren-ji!"

"So gorgeous. Just like that," he murmured against my skin, glorying in my reactions, just as I had in his.

My hips continued to undulate against his. I was thoroughly aware of how my own arousal fed my desperation, how his arousal fed mine. If I kept shifting like this, I knew it would lead to release, especially feeling this as much as I was.

Yet I was utterly and profoundly unprepared when he pressed a kiss to the tender skin in the valley between my breasts as his fingers slid tauntingly against the only barrier that remained between us: my underwear. The moan summoned by his attentions was louder still than any that preceded it. When one of those long, taunting fingers slid under the edge of the garment to caress the skin, I cried out again, thrusting my hips toward his hand. He groaned, fumbling hands easing the remaining garment down my thighs so that he could have better access to what he sought.

When he caressed the bare flesh, he found me wanting and damp with it. Yet he teased me even further, even though I could feel the pleasure twisting and compounding in my stomach. A taunting finger slid against the slick flesh with deliberation and I wanted to growl. When that same taunting finger slipped inside of me, my body shattered around him and I came with a loud cry of ecstasy.

He looked a bit stunned and awed as I gave way to pleasure. When the tides of the orgasm had eased, I wrapped my hand firmly around the flesh I had been riding so desperately, glorying in the fact I knew I was the one who had aroused him so far that he was already leaking pre-come. His gasp was sweet and I wanted to hear more of his sounds. I moved my hand around him, stroking and pulling him. Sometimes my pace eased, sometimes it increased. All I was doing was prolonging his pleasurable agony, I knew, but I liked knowing that I could bring a man to such a state.

"Mi-Mi…" he whimpered. "Please, Mi-Mi."

I allowed my pace to increase, my sword-roughed hands sliding around what had to be the softest part of this man, twisting sensually.

When he came, he was breath-taking. His head was thrown back in ecstasy, sweat clinging to the soft crimson strands and to the tone muscular body, his chest heaving with exertion, his russet eyes wide and a cry on his lips. The warmth of his come splattered across my stomach didn't even bother me because I got to see him this way.

I stroked his strong arms and kissed his chest as he came back from his euphoria.

Renji wore the cutest blush I'd ever seen when he realized he'd come all over my stomach, but I kissed his lips softly, gently. Pulling back, I gave him a bit of a coy smile.

"That was… intense," he panted, still winding down a bit.

"Hm, I presume that could be one word for it." I smiled at him and reached for the handkerchief I kept beside my bed. I wiped away the most damning evidence of our union and pulled him down to lay beside me. "Stay?" I asked, not having the strength to be alone after that.

He kissed my lips and curled his body around mine, signaling without a word that he would stay.

I closed my eyes and laid my head against his chest.

My strength was usually over-rated, anyway.

* * *

_This chapter includes a scene that never made the original cut._

_Ah, I never prove my need for a M rating during chapter one . I'm not quite sure what came over me..._

_I promise that more of this will be coming to those of you already hungering for more..._

_Please review: I'd like to know if you enjoy the new direction of the story, the fact that i included more of her thoughts, her personality, her past... Do you like Mizuki? I'd love to know!_

_Ever at your pleasure,  
~Sins~_


	2. Chapter 2

_Hello, my doves._

_I thought I'd drop you a line... or maybe around 3000 words..._

_It's important to note that I have already mentioned my lack of commitment to having this story follow the exact storyline of it's ancestor, "Strong". You will start seeing some deviation from that original story in this chapter, but you will see me go back and unite parts of the two stories. I just wanted to make sure you were all aware that this will not be the same story as "Strong" was. In fact, you're going to get to see and hear more of some of the important players (like Byakuya, Renji, and Rukia!)._

Oh, and you'll get to meet Akihiko (her zanpakutō) in this chapter. Anything written like _'this'_ is Mizuki talking to Akihiko. _'This'_ denotes Akihiko talking to Mizuki.

_So with not further ado, here is part 2!_

* * *

_Mizuki:_

The blinding light of the morning sun through my window woke me the next morning. I shifted, squeezing my eyes shut against the hangover, only to realize I was pulled against a strong, warm body and completely naked. Opening my eyes slowly, I found myself gazing upon an exquisite tattooed chest. The events of the night before came back in a nauseating headache, but I still didn't want to extract myself from this embrace.

However, we were both fukataichōs and we was expected to set a good example for the rest of our divisions. Regretfully, I drew back from the warm body in my bed. Dropping a kiss on the tip of his nose, I tried to wake him by gently shaking him.

"Ren. Ren! Renji, you've got to get up," I informed him, pushing at his chest with my hand. I looked at his sleeping form for a moment longer before I wondered aloud, "What will Kuchiki-taichō do if you're late, Ren?"

His eyes flew open and widened exponentially, instantly awake and aware. "Never, ever again," he exclaimed with a shudder.

_I guess Kuchiki-taichō punishes Ren harshly when he's late,_ I thought wryly. Still not wanting to leave my warm bed, I forced myself to do it anyway. When I stood up, my feet flat on the floor, I felt Renji's eyes on me.

I tossed an inquisitive look over my shoulder at him. "What is it, Ren?"

"Ah,.. uh… that is, we didn't even turn on a light last night… and you're so pretty in the sunshine…" His face flushed, rivaling his beautiful hair in color. "And, it seems that I, uh… _marked_ you. I'm sorry."

I smiled at him warmly, returning to the bedside so that I could cup his cheek. "Did I ever tell you not to?" I inquired softly. "I told you, Ren. No regrets, no strings. Besides, I seemed to have left a few marks on you, as well. You might want to consider a different hairstyle until that fades… I apologize for that…"

Finding that I couldn't resist the urge, I claimed his lips once more. His arms wrapped securely around me, pulling my body back onto the bed and over-top his own. "Being late could be worth it this morning," he murmured to me, his hands sliding down my sides before coming up to cradle the weight my breasts. Clever thumbs flickered across my nipples lightly, teasingly.

Moaning out his name, I smothered his reply with my kiss as I slid one hand into his hair and the other down his chest.

When we separated, we were both panting hard and painfully aware of our arousal –and that the other was also affected. I drew away, feeling the regret grow with every millimeter I put between Renji and myself. "While I would adore staying here with you all day, Ren, I really have to get all of that blasted paperwork done. If we get one more delivery of it, we will all be buried alive in it. Trust me: this is the more enjoyable option and I'd rather be staying here… but I can't."

Sliding out of my bed and crossing over to the wardrobe was hard to do. It was eased somewhat when I heard the sounds of Renji crawling out of my bed and crossing the floor. When his arms wrapped around me and he bent to kiss my neck, I wasn't at all startled. "I wish I could stay here today, as well, but Kuchiki-taichō would be pissed. Shall I see you tonight, at the usual place?"

"Probably. You might even have to come fetch me again," I teased, resting my hands overtop his.

He kissed my neck again with a chuckle. "You know, there _is_ more to life than paperwork, Mi-Mi," he reminded me warmly, before stepping back. A rustling sound filled the room, and I couldn't help but smile. He was probably having trouble finding his clothes. Now that I thought about it, I _was_ curious where mine had ended up, as well. But I dismissed the thought out of hand and set about locating my zanpakutō.

_'I am under your bed, Mizuki! Of all the indignities I've suffered, I think this one tops the list!'_

I couldn't contain my smile. _'Oh, _relax_, your highness. I shall fetch you nearly immediately. Do you know where Zabimaru is, or has Renji found him already?'_

_'Zabimaru has a more careful master who left him in a more respectable position. Check the table.'_

_'I see. Thank you, Akihiko.'_

Glancing over, I noticed that Zabimaru lay right where Akihiko had indicated. I taped Renji's now-clothed shoulder. "Zabimaru is on the table, in case you forgot."

Renji smiled crookedly at me. "Thanks." Instead of fetching his zanpakutō, however, he pressed a kiss to my bare shoulder.

I smiled fondly at him and gave him a little push. "Go on, Ren. You need to finish getting ready, and Kuchiki-taichō isn't going to accept 'I got lucky last night' as a viable excuse for tardiness."

"I wish he would. Perhaps then he might think strenuously on getting laid, himself," he added with a scoffing laugh. Still, he crossed to retrieve his blade. He pressed one more kiss to my lips before using shunpō to quickly reach his own home.

Bending over, I retrieved my sheathed sword from under my bed.

_'Thank you. Is there a reason you couldn't get rid of that _barbarian_ sooner?'_Akihiko demanded snidely.

I rolled my eyes, long-since used to the antics. _'Akihiko, he's not a barbarian. He's a very kind… generous man.'_

_'Are you telling me you finally decided to resend your vow of chastity?'_ He sounded absolutely astounded.

I arched a brow. _'There was no 'vow'. And he's… inadvertently easing me past my fear, Akihiko, and you should respect him for that, if nothing else.'_

_'But Zabimaru is a brute!'_

Honestly. Our zanpakutōs were _talking _last night?

_'Of course we were! You two were obviously engrossed in each other, and if that continues, we will be in close quarters for long amounts of time. However, if that brute is near me again, I may not be responsible for my actions!'_

Curiosity and cats be damned. _'What did he _do_ to you? You're too upset for it to simply be his attitude…'_

_'I… He…'_ Akihiko made an exasperated sound. _'He implied that if our partners were perusing an intimate relationship, we should, as well.'_

I stroked the hit of my zanpakutō and his yet-sheathed blade in an attempt to offer him some comfort. _'I'm sorry, Akihiko. I obviously should have been paying more attention last night.'_

_'It... It's fine, Mizuki. If your barbarian makes you happy, I shall put up with Zabimaru.'_ His tone echoed his sincerity.

_'I can have a word with Renji about him, if you'd like. He may be able to rein him in some.'_

_'No, no. It would lead to an awkward conversation for you two, which would include but not be limited to the topic of your zanpakutōs being aware of you having sex, which would evolve into us being in your heads while you do it… I shall just deal with the brute.'_

_'Psh. You obviously weren't in my head last night, or you would have known my 'vow of chastity' is still intact,'_ I reminded him dryly, trying to lighten his mood some. _'I can leave it be, if you like. Can I do something else to make you feel better?'_

_'Go back to the Eleventh?' _Akihiko inquired sweetly.

I laughed. _'No can do. Unohana might refuse me the Fourth Division's assistance if I abandon a post she recommended me to so soon. Anything else?'_

_'Exercise would be nice. You know your inner world is quite lovely, but I do miss the touch of steel to steel…'_ His voice seemed to echo wistfully in my head.

_'I'll see what I can do,'_ I promised. _'For now, will you go play with Zu-Zu while I dress?'_

He scoffed._ 'She calls me 'Ki-Ki' and follows me around. That does not equate 'playing'.'_

Still, he withdrew as I had requested. I had to smile. For all of his bite and bluster, Akihiko had warmed up to me a great deal in our time together. He seemed to like pleasing me on occasion –on more than just the odd occasion if it involved a serious fight. Of course, having a _male_ zanpakutō had made for some very interesting problems when I'd first come to the Seretei. Luckily, with Akihiko being as beautiful and androgynous as he is, I was able to completely ignore his gender and concentrate on earning his trust, learning his name, and working with him.

With a sigh, I pulled my thoughts away from one of the constant voices in my head and crossed the room to dig through the top dresser drawer. I hadn't used the wraps much since I had transferred to my current division. Some part of me idly hoped it was like riding a bike. Shaking my head against the stupid thought, I quickly went to work on binding down my breasts. Well, more accurately, my entire torso.

I'd picked up this particular habit in the Eleventh Division. As one of the few women in the division, I'd spent many a day in sparring sessions. I had watched my male opponents shrug out of the top portion of their shihakusho with great envy, because sparring was hot and their maneuverability often improved. One day, I had decided enough was enough. When I prepared myself for sparring, I had wrapped from my armpits down to the flare of my hips. It functioned correctly –meaning it kept me from nearly killing myself with my sizable breasts– and it was much cooler than fighting in the hot shihakusho all afternoon, not to mention it improved my ability to maneuver myself and my sword. My partner that afternoon had been easily defeated –probably because he got distracted by the expanse of skin he could still see. Zaraki-taichō had found the whole thing amusing and he'd let me do as I pleased.

When one of the men had complained to Zaraki- taichō, he had pointed out, "Mizuki-san has sizable breasts. If she can make them less of a detriment to her fighting, more power to her." And that had been that.

I could have bound them loosely, if I'd just been intent on covering the love-bites Renji had left behind. But I had promised Akihiko that I would do my best to exercise him some today, and tightening the wraps later would just be a hassle. As I finished wrapping my torso, I wondered who might have the free time to spar with me. Rangiku probably had paperwork –she would try to avoid it or hide it so her taichō wouldn't notice. It was her fault for trying to pull one over on the former child-prodigy, anyway. Renji was always busy during the day, and I since I fully intended to take up more of his time tonight with other activities, I thought it best I allow him to be of some use to his taichō, at least. Ichigo –my favorite sparring partner of all my sparring partners– had school and other responsibilities. If he slipped to the Seretei to spar, it would be awesome, but I doubted it would happen today. He only seemed to have enough time on the weekends and he seemed to understand that I didn't like going to the human world, though he was unaware of _why_. Rukia had to train our division and that was work enough to tire anyone out.

I wondered if I could entice any of the men from my former division into a match. Ikkaku might jump at the opportunity, but like the others, he was swamped with work. I still had no business sparring with Zaraki- taichō, even if I _could_ breathe under his spirit pressure and hear his bells. Zaraki- taichō seemed to believe that any good spar was a death match, and I couldn't afford to be laid up when there was so much work to be done. Absently, I wondered in Nanoa had the time and inclination to play with me a little, since her taichō was always at my division anyway. I'd never sparred with her before, but Rangiku said she was formidable and I did love a challenge.

Making up my mind to ask her nicely if she would enjoy a spar, I smiled and continued to pull on my undergarments. Slipping into fresh robes, I noticed in passing that the shihakusho covered more than usual –probably because my breasts were so thoroughly contained at the moment. I wondered to stand in front of the mirror as I tied the white obi. I studied my reflection for a few moments, noting absently that there would still a few hickeys visible if I put up my hair the way I usually did. With a sigh, I reached for a brush and set about the task of managing my hair.

The man who'd raised me had always encouraged me to keep my hair long. I wasn't exactly so sure as to _why_. It might have had something to do with the fact that his female friend that frequently came around kept her hair long. Or, it might have just been his slightly-outdated ideals of femininity. I had never asked him, and I didn't intend to seek him out to ask such a dumb question _now_, 70 years after I'd died. Not that it mattered. Due to his influence, I'd always kept it long. However, my hair now reached my butt –making it quite a bit longer than even Kuchiki- taichō's hair. Unfortunately, such long hair could be a detriment in battle –that was why I had taken to wearing it in a prim bun: it kept it off my face, out of my eyes, and out of my way.

_'I believe Senbonzakura keeps his hair around that length.'_

I cocked my head slightly._ 'You've seen that elusive man? Is he as lovely as Kuchiki-taichō?'_

_'Lovelier. If I must be pressured into an intimate relationship with another male, he's the one I'd pick. There's no chance you might actually choose intimacy with Kuchiki-dono, is there?'_

_'You know, that's not exactly just up to me,' _I informed him wryly._ 'Though he is one beautiful man, Akihiko, I'm barely making baby-steps on that phobia 70 years later. If you want me to take that man as a lover, give me another 50 years of baby-steps.'_

I could almost see him frown. _'Do you think your barbarian can help that happen faster? You're not getting any younger.'_

_'Yeah, yeah. I'm just getting deader.'_ I thought about it for a moment. _'Renji may be able to increase that speed. He had no trouble with me needing to be on top last night.'_

_'I thought you didn't have sex with him.'_

_'We didn't have sex. I didn't say we both didn't come, Akihiko.' _I chuckled lightly._ 'Should Renji ease me through this any faster, I shall keep your preference as to my next lover in mind, alright?'_

I knew Akihiko's pouting voice when I heard it. '_Could you please hurry up with it, then? I would enjoy spending time with Senbonzakura, Mizuki.'_

I wanted to laugh._ 'I'll see if Kuchiki-taichō might allow you two a play-date, if you wish.'_

_'A play-date? Please tell me that would include a good spar.'_

_'I don't know. Kuchiki-taichō is very particular, and I have no notion if I would fit his needs as a partner. I can ask Rukia when I see her. She'd know best on that matter.'_

I felt Akihiko pull on stores of power and materialize behind me. He placed warm, graceful hands on my shoulders. "I believe you two would have a very exciting match, if not just because the releases of Senbonzakura and myself are so similar," he intoned warmly. "Brush."

I handed it over, knowing that he would do whatever he pleased to my hair and I would handle it with as much grace and poise as possible. "It would be interesting," I agreed, "but he's still much, much stronger than I am, and he's had more years to unite with his partner. I fear that if I were to ask Kuchiki-taichō for a match, he would look at me with the frostiest look in his eyes and tell me that I am decades too early to challenge him."

Akihiko chuckled at that, drawing the brush through my hair gently and bunching it together in a different place than usual. "You might be surprised. After all, Senbonzakura has noticed that Kuchiki-dono seems to have taken an interest in you."

I met his cerulean gaze in the mirror. "Just how recently have you been talking to Senbonzakura, Akihiko?" I inquired, more than a little curious.

He shrugged, pulling the mass of hair tighter but not hurting me. "We talk sometimes. Usually at night, when Kuchiki-dono is snug in his mansion and you are back here in the barracks alone and asleep. Anyway, he tells me that Kuchiki-dono's interest only seems to be deepening."

Fucking hell. My sword wandered off while I slept to talk to Kuchiki-taichō's sword. Perhaps we would have to have a serious conversation, after all. "Kuchiki-taichō's only interest in me is that I share tasks with his younger sister. He might be intrigued that our blades have similar attributes, but I doubt it goes any deeper than that."

"Why do you keep pretending that you are not, in fact, a beautiful woman?" he asked me as he tied my hair tightly to keep it where he put it. "You're also quite powerful. Not just anyone has the ability to be _my_ partner, Mizuki."

I turned around to look at him. His pale blond hair fell sleekly down his back, several strands seeming to cling to the red silk of his kimono. Those azure eyes of his held compassion and trust and something softer and more intimate than the other two. "We both know exactly why I pretend I'm not a 'beautiful woman', Akihiko. I can handle being a powerful warrior, but until I manage to fix myself, I fear I'll never be able to view myself as a beautiful woman again."

His face fell, as though he could empathize with my pain. Well, he was a part of me, so he was probably literally feeling my pain. Still, he reached out and wrapped his arms around me. He pulled me to him and situated me until my head rested upon his strong shoulder. "No man here will hurt you, Mi," Akihiko told me softly, his breath brushing against my ear. "No man will ever hurt you again, Mi. Not when you have so many by your side."

"I had you by my side then, Aki. It still happened." My voice was soft, pained.

He shushed me. "You need to stop being so afraid of everything, Mi. You need to learn to live again. After all, you've been dead 70 years." Warm lips brushed against mine for an instant in time. "Now finish getting ready, Mi. You wouldn't want to be late."

When my partner returned to my inner world, I took a moment to look at my hair in the mirror. I actually smiled.

Akihiko had done my hair in the same way that Senbonzakura wore his: in a single ponytail at the crown of my head. Several strands slid forward and I tucked them behind my ears. The ponytail still draped most of the way down my back, but it covered most of the other love-bites and would keep my hair out of my face when I needed it.

"Thank you, Akihiko," I whispered to the empty room as I toed into my shoes and gathered my things

_'You're welcome, Mizuki.'_

I walked slowly to my division, trying to clear my head as I went. Absently, I wondered if my strength as a warrior came from ignoring the weaknesses of my person.

* * *

_As you can already tell, I'm hinting at several things that will become larger issues later in the story._

_So:-Who in the world is Zu-Zu?  
-What is Byakuya's interest in Mizuki?  
-What happened to her 70 years ago? (If you read "Strong" while it was posted here, you already know the answer!)  
-What did she mean when she said Akihiko was there with her 70 years ago, and how is it possible?  
-Do any of you know who raised here? (Answered in relation to the previous story, as well ^^)_

_The answers to all of these questions and more coming soon! I hope to see you all around!_

_Another thing I'd like to mention: you can already tell that she has a very close relationship with Akihiko. I found that her relationship with her (previous) sword was greatly lacking and poorly developed in "Strong", so I have set out to remedy that.  
Also, I am amused to have Akihiko continue to refer to Renji as a barbarian :P  
For some weird reason, I enjoy the notion of Senbonzakura and Akihiko sneaking out to talk to each other. Beware of the mayhem those two may cause, though!_

_Let me know if you have any questions, concerns, or ideas to help improve this piece. If nothing else, please review. Even if I don't respond, I read every review and they help keep my fingers pounding away at the keyboard!_

_Ever at your pleasure,  
~Sins~_


	3. Chapter 3

_I know it's been a while, my doves!_

_Trust me, I'm trying to make it up to you. 4,400 words. Does that help? Lol_

_There's a few things to note before you get into things:  
-There's heavy mentions of various types of blades –check the endnotes if you're unfamiliar with them, alright?  
-Akihiko's release phrase and the name of one of his special attacks are in here, too! Again –endnotes will add clarification!  
-Some violence, but it makes since in context ^^_

_Alright! On with the show!~_

* * *

_Mizuki:_

When I walked into the division headquarters, I was surprised to see the woman I shared my duties with seated upon my desk. Surely such behavior would have been frowned upon by her beloved onii-sama. In truth, it didn't bother me much: I actually found it quite cute of her.

"Kuchiki-fukataichō," I greeted the smaller woman, a broad smile pulling across my lips.

Her answering smile was oh, so welcome. "Shindo-fukataichō."

"What brings you into the office this morning?" I inquired, my smile refusing to leave. Rukia and I shared our duties: I took care of the office work and watched after our taichō while Rukia took the more people-oriented task of training the members of our division –especially the green, headstrong new graduates from the academy.

"I came to request that you join me this morning. I think that you would have quite an influence on them –or at least scare them into behaving at times." She shook her head ruefully before adding, "You're so much stronger than I am, and I just… I feel like they all know that."

Heat rose to my cheeks. "Strength isn't everything, you know. I have to be strong, or Akihiko would walk all over me." I gingerly grasped the hilt of my sword, as though to let Akihiko know I'd spoken of him. _Hell,_ I thought,_ I have to be strong, or others will know just how broken I am inside._ There were more pressing matters at hand, though. "Are the others doing something cruel to my Rukia-chan?" I inquired seriously, my expression reflecting my intensity.

"If I said 'yes', would you force them to behave?"

"If you said 'yes', I would _annihilate_ them."

She held up her hands in surrender. "They aren't… they aren't being _cruel_, per say. They just… they are just a bit disrespectful. I think a lot of them joined the Thirteenth in hopes of training under you –you're almost as famous as Ichigo around here."

Steel worked into my spine. I supposed I had some of the stubbornness that afflicted some of the more influential nobles: there was nothing that I found more offensive than others failing to show their betters the respect they deserved. "I shall assist this morning, then. They _will_ learn to respect you, Rukia. Either that, or they will end up looking just like the last person who shouldn't have picked a fight with Kuchiki-taichō." I sighed. "You know I trained under Zaraki-taichō. There's a likelihood that rough will be an understatement for how I treat them."

"They need someone to be tougher on them than I am, Mi-Mi."

Nodding slowly, I carefully observed her expression. "Alright, then. Give me a little time to look in on our taichō and let him and Kyōraku-taichō know that I'll be working with you this morning. Where would you like me to catch up with you?"

A pensive mask slid over her features. "The training grounds. I know you're sensitive to reiatsu –just find mine and follow it." And with some well-executed shunpo, I was alone in the office, as I had expected to be in the first place.

Sighing as I eyed the piles of paperwork surrounding my desk, I wondered how horrible I would be on my first attempt to help Rukia out with her duties. What I'd said to Rukia had been very, very true. Zaraki-taichō had been one of the shinigami to train me, and to call him 'rough' was an understatement. He had taken to having all of the recruits charge him at once, but I doubted I would be able to manage his signature method. At least I was good at thinking on my feet.

My mind light-years away, I prepared my taichō's tea the way he favored it and snagged a bottle of sake for Kyōraku-taichō. I knew he was with my taichō this morning: I could smell the familiar sake scent and feel the silken texture of his reiatsu. When the tea was piping hot and the sake reached room temperature, I retrieved the various other fixtures and utensils they would require. Carefully, I balanced all of them as I walked to where both taichōs sat.

Kyōraku-taichō was the first to notice me. "Shindo-fukataichō," he greeted with his normal winning smile. "You look quite radiant this morning."

"Thank you, Kyōraku-taichō." I offered him the bottle of sake and one of the cups I'd brought out. "I believe you might find yourself in need of these."

At his enthusiastic grin, I turned to smile at my taichō. With practiced ease, I poured a cup of tea from the teapot and handed it to him before settling the fragile teapot beside him. "Jūshiro-taichō," I greeted, my smile gentling exponentially.

"Mizuki-fukataichō. Thank you for the tea. Did you need something from me, or did you just come out there to spoil Shunsuí and myself?" He looked slightly pensive, as though I were a jigsaw puzzle and he was trying to fit in the final pieces.

I didn't know why he was trying to figure me out: he already seemed to have a more than just functional knowledge of the way my mind worked. "Spoiling two of my favorite taichōs is always a joy. However, I actually wanted to inform you that Kuchiki-fukataichō requested my assistance with some of the duties she claimed today and I accepted."

"Is she having some sort of difficulty with them?" he inquired, his words slow and drawn out.

With a practiced shrug, I pretended that it wasn't a large matter. "I assume they might be acting a bit disrespectful and unruly. Either way, I will be out with her this morning, so I'm afraid I won't be able to continue to spoil you both as I prefer –at least, not this morning."

"Should I warn Ritsu-taichō that there may be a sudden influx of our personal?" he asked me softly.

"I'm not Zaraki-taichō: I won't half-kill them." I wanted to squirm under his perusal. How had he deduced my anger from behind my masks? Not even Ran was that good when it came to that! "I suppose we may wish to keep a single member of Division Four on hand," I relented. I knew that my anger could be hard to control, and nothing angered me more than the notion of people disrespecting Rukia.

I turned to offer a smile to Kyōraku-taichō. "Do look after my taichō, please. As thanks, I'll bring you your favorite sake the next time you're here."

He reached out and took my hand. "But of course! I'm always happy to be of aid to a beautiful woman."

I rolled my eyes but smiled good-naturedly. "Thank you, Kyōraku-taichō." My gaze swiveled back to rest on my taichō. "I should be back this afternoon," I informed him with a deep bow.

"Have fun, Mizuki-fukataichō. Don't let anyone get too hurt. I'd had to spoil my reputation." His soft smile was wry.

"Hai, Jūshiro-taichō." I bowed to him once more. "Enjoy your morning."

Slipping back into the office, I checked to see if any of the wraps had loosened. I was a mused to find that they hadn't.

As I prepared to use leave, I sent an errant though to my zanpakutō. _'Hey, Aki, you wanted some exercise. How do you feel about green recruits that need to be taught respect at the point of your blade?'_

His chuckle was amused. _'I just hope they provide us a challenge, Mi.'_

_'Ah, so do I, Akihiko. So do I.'_

My eyelids drifted closed as I felt Akihiko retreat further inside of me. He always _did_ know when I needed to concentrate on something. Seeking out sensations with my mind was always a tricky process. Still, I found it fast enough, and when my eyelids flickered open again, I could see a trail of beautiful falling snowflakes that led away from the office. I followed the trail of cold reiatsu until I felt the familiar sensation of cool raindrops falling upon my skin. It only took a few instants because of my proficiency with the shunpo.

Rukia seemed small somehow as she stood before the sea of black-clad shinigami. I arrived just as she was informing them of today's plans. "Shindo-fukataichō will be assisting me today. I strongly _suggest_ that you all give her your absolute undivided attention." She waited until after she finished her statement to turn and face me with a smile. "Mi-Mi," she greeted, her voice soft as so to not be overheard by the others.

"Rukia," I returned with a small smile and a tone as soft as hers. Facing them seriously, I allowed my eyes to wander over them slowly, taking their measure with my eyes. Not wanting the distraction, I shoved away my particular skill and affinity with reading reiatsu before I opened my mouth to speak. "I'm sure you're all aware of who I am, considering that you _are_ a part of Thirteenth Division. In case you don't, I'll introduce myself. I am Shindo Mizuki, the other fukataichō for this division. I am well aware of the rumors that have spread about my power and I'm under the assumption that all of you are, as well. By the end of this session, I'm certain most of you will be wishing that they had been great exaggerations." I offered them a violent, sharp smile that I had perfected during my time in the Eleventh Division. It allowed me to take a moment to figure out how to refer to my counterpart: as a lady of the Kuchiki family or as a fukataichō. Both titles belonged to her; it was just a question of which would stir more respect. "My former division was Eleventh, were I was placed immediately after graduating from the Academy. When Kuchiki-fukataichō asked me to assist this morning, I warned her of this: I demand respect. I worked hard to reach this position, as did Kuchiki-fukataichō. If for any reason you cannot respect me as a shinigami, you must respect my zanpakutō. It is my intention to teach you respect and discipline with this blade."

The members of my division stared at me in stunned silence.

"Kuchiki-fukataichō, would you be so kind as to select an opponent or me?" I looked to her and gave her a small smile as I noted her surprise at my approach. It was my style to combat the disrespect of someone I greatly respected head on, so Rukia would have to deal with the fact that I had no subtlety in this situation and forge ahead.

"Ito Kai."

I grinned. "Ito Kai-kun. Front and center, if you will."

Unease wove through the mass of shihakusho-clad members, but not a single soul moved.

"Perhaps I was unclear. Ito Kai-kun: you _will_ come to the front as you have been ordered," I ground out, my tone icy.

A slender male stepped forward. He was angular and muscular. I could see where the planes of muscles ended and bones began. His hair was chin length and platinum blond and his blue-green eyes were twin seas of disease.

"I hope that this means that _you_ are Ito-kun," I remarked coolly. Allowing my kosode to drop and hang about my waist and baring my wrapped torso, I widened my stance and drew Akihiko from his wine-colored sheath. "I expect you to come at me with the intention of killing me. Any less, and Akihiko and I will not be satisfied," I informed the young one, butchering one of Urahara Kisuke's most famous lines and praying that word would never reach Kisuke to inform him that I'd done so.

_'I won't tell if you don't,'_ Akihiko informed me with a chuckle.

Ito hesitantly widened his own stance and drew his own zanpakutō, a blade which in its unreleased form looked much like a normal tachi. He watched me as though awaiting something.

I gave him a harsh smile. I felt the hesitant pulse of his reiatsu and knew that I could defeat him without even releasing Akihiko. "I will not be releasing my blade, Ito-kun, though I do recommend that you chose to do some. Attack me."

He swallowed and then charged. I deflected his furious swipes easily, dodging a few of his thrusts just to prove that I was faster than he was, even without shunpo. I didn't use shunpo at all, well aware that such a tactic might leave me at a bit of a disadvantage, but the judgment had been based on what I could feel of his reiatsu. With my skills and my normal speed, it was an alright risk.

After five solid minutes of Ito attempting to attack me, he was panting, his chest heaving fitfully. I stepped back slightly, not even breathing hard.

"Release your zanpakutō, Ito-kun," I commanded. Let's see if it elevated the boy to a level closer to mine.

He called out his release phrase and his blade widened, taking on the appearance of a heavy claymore. I wondered absently how such a slender man would be able to wield such a heavy sword.

Still, I beckoned him playfully. "Come on, Ito-kun. Let's see if you can even slice my wraps."

His charge was harder this time, perhaps, because he felt as though I'd taunted him. To be perfectly honest, it had been nothing more than curiosity. His blade took more effort to block, but I still was even exerting myself. Five more minutes of this left him sweat-drenched and panting. His hair clung to his face and neck.

I smiled softly. "Kuchiki-fukataichō, would you select a new opponent for me? Let's allow Ito-kun a bit of a rest."

Rukia nodded in acknowledgement. "Yagari Ichio."

Another male stepped forward. This one was dark-haired with dark eyes. He was a bit broader and more muscular than Ito had been, but I took all that in stride as I registered his reiatsu levels.

"I recommend you release your zanpakutō, Yagari-kun," I told him pleasantly. His reiatsu was greater than Ito's had been, and I hoped he'd provide Akihiko and myself more of a challenge.

He drew his unreleased zanpakutō and called out the release phrase to reveal a blade that paralleled the structure of a saber. The weapon was elegant enough, though I'd only seen one other shinigami with a similar blade. I doubted he would measure up to the level of swordsmanship the other had.

When he charged me, he had more power behind it than his previous opponent. Still, blocking his surprisingly flexible blade was simple enough. When Yagari-kun used shunpo, I sensed his destinations and side-steeped him. When he used a lower-level kidō, I countered with my own, the force behind which knocked him to the ground.

He sat there, slightly stunned and panting hard. I wondered for an instant if he would try why Kurosaki Ichigo was famous for: rising once more with a drastic increase in power. Unfortunately, he stayed where he was, his reiatsu dropping slowly.

"Kuchiki-fukataichō, another please."

"Souma Isamu."

The lithe male that stepped forward was taller than I, and his reiatsu was stronger still than my previous opponents. His hair was black and his eyes were pale –lavender, I decided as he stared at me as though I might be some great mystery.

"Will you be the one to cause me to release my blade?" I inquired lightly. "Will you offer me more of a challenge, Souma-kun?"

He watched me intently for a moment before asking, "Do you really want one of us to challenge you that much, or it this just an exercise to teach us to respect our betters, Shindo-fukataichō ma'am?"

A smile pulled at my lips. "It's both, Souma-kun. I _do_ enjoy sparring –probably more than most female shinigami. But when I heard that some had been disrespecting those that I respect and would give my life to protect, like Kuchiki-fukataichō… that makes me angry that some of you are still behaving as though this is a class. This, my dear children, is a war. We face the Hollows to protect people, not because we find any enjoyment in it. Every time that you face an opponent, there is a chance that you won't survive. That is why it is necessary to train together as a unit, to trust each other, and to protect each other. It's also why it is necessary to listen to and respect your superiors. I know that you all are young, but believe me: these officers have been fighting this war longer than you and they know how to handle most situations you will find yourself in. You can get others killed if you question orders instead of following them, and you _do not_ want to have such a thing on your conscience." A smile pulled at my lips once more. "Release your blade, clever Souma-kun, and try to challenge me."

He nodded and did as I bade, calling out his release phrase like a prayer. His release zanpakutō resembled a slender version of the over-sized khyber knife that Ichigo carried.

I grinned fondly, recalling just how much fun I always had when I sparred with Ichigo. Perhaps Souma would give me reason to release Akihiko after all.

_'I can hope.'_

Souma lunged at me, and it was the first time I had to work to counter a hit today. My grin widened as he moved away to invite my strike. Not wishing to disappoint him, I rushed forward and struck, the force of the collision pushing him back nearly a yard. His eyes narrowed and we continued like that, back and forth, until he nicked the bare skin of my shoulder.

His eyes widened and I stepped back with a smile. "I'm glad that you were the first to give me a challenge. Shall I give you one in return?"

I extended my blade in front of my pelvis, gripping the hilt with both hands as I called Akihiko out casually. "Taiyō yori akaruku kagayaku, Akihiko."

Instantly, I heard Akihiko's warm voice echo in my mind. Despite the fact I could converse with him without releasing him, the connection was always more intense when he was unbound. _'With pleasure, Mi. shall we challenge the boy, or hold back?'_

_'He has earned the challenge,'_ I returned the instant before Akihiko's blade seemed to disintegrate.

_'Very well,'_ Akihiko responded. _'I am yours to command.'_

His admission sent a rush of warmth through me. it always made me happy to hear him acknowledge me.

Souma stared, wide-eyed as a cloud of tiny fragments of reflecting light flew toward him as I extended one hand toward him. it wasn't necessary for me to direct the blades with my hands: I really could do it all in my head, but it made the playing field a little more level for my young opponent. "I do hope you can keep up, Souma-kun."

The swipes of his blade deflected several of the tiny shining blades, but I knew the instant that Akihiko cut his skin. _'Please be gentle, Akihiko. He seems a good pupil.'_

Akihiko chuckled. _'As you wish, Mizuki. Are you hoping for another Ichigo?'_

_'I don't think he'll ever be that much of a challenge for me, but I would love to see it happen.'_

I called the blades back to survey the damage. True to his word, Akihiko had only cut him shallowly but there were several cuts in several places. Lavender eyes peered out from beneath dark finge as blood ran down his cheek.

He charged toward me once more and I narrowly stepped aside in time.

_'Hm. I like his spirit,'_ Akihiko remarked.

_'Me, too,'_ I told him. _'Let's go once more. A little harder with him this time.'_

_'As you wish,'_ he repeated.

I directed the blades toward him like a symphony that swirled and circled about him until he was blinded in a column of light. The move mimicked one of my favorite special attacks –'Hareyakana Senpū'– but at a slower pace. Though Souma attempted to counter the blades, I knew when Akihiko cut him deeper than before. I could feel the blade as it sliced his skin and he cried out in pain. Immediately, I withdrew the blades and directed them to form a column at the end of the hilt but not fuse back into the single blade. I wondered if he would charge again, but then I saw how hurt he was.

Smiling softly, I directed Akihiko to return to his sealed state, which he did with a tinkling laugh. _'Attached to your partner already, Mi?'_

_'A little. He's a smart kid,'_ I returned, sheathing Akihiko and retrieving the first aid kit as Souma's zanpakutō reverted to its sealed state. I used shunpo to reach him quickly, even though I wasn't ver far from him.

I gave him a gentle smile. "Will you trust your fukataichō to bind your wounds, Souma-kun?" I inquired serenely.

He nodded, blood dripping from his cheek and potions of his shihakusho in shreds.

Rukia was by my side quickly. "Is Souma-san alright?"

"He'll be fine. I went easy on him, because I sorta like him." I winked at the boy. "Choose five strong ones for me? Let them all taste the power of Akihiko and remember when they disrespect my friend."

She smiled. "Of course. Do you need help with him?"

"I've got it. Go ahead. You can also show your strength to a group, if you'd like. You're not as weak as you seem to think, Rukia."

Her blush was adorable. "Mi-Mi!" she scolded cutely.

I turned my attention back to Souma as she returned to the group.

"You went easy on me," he accused.

A smile pulled at my lips. "Of course I did, Souma-kun. Otherwise, you would be dead."

Those wide lavender eyes made me smile.

"I like you. You remind me of a boy I like to spar with, and you're intelligent. You watched the first two and learned from them." I pulled down his kosode until it pooled around his waist. Various small cuts crossed his chest and his arms.

_'Did we cut his legs, as well, Aki?'_ I inquired softly.

_'Of course, Mi. Below his knees only.'_

_'Thank you.'_

The boy looked at me strangely. "You're in constant contact with your zanpakutō, right? You have to control thousands of tiny blades with your hands."

I decided not to tell him that the blades numbered in the millions and I really didn't have to use my hands. "Ah, Akihiko does all of the work, really," I told him, still smiling as I began to bind the wounds on his arms. "We're partners. A team." My hands soothed salve over his side before I bandaged the other cuts, as well. "He said that he liked your spirit, earlier," I told him, looking at his face. I had to admit, Souma was adorable when he blushed.

"What does Akihiko look like?" he inquired, trying to keep his mind off his injuries.

I knew he meant as a spirit, since he'd seen the blade for himself. "Regal, like a prince or a high noble. He had long hair down to here," I told him, sliding my salve-covered hands to his waist as I doctored the wounds on his other side, "so pale that it's almost white. He's gloriously handsome and wears a kimono of red silk." I applied salve to the wounds crisscrossing his pectorals and abdominal muscles.

_'Keep touching the boy and he'll fall in love with you –or at least in lust.'_ Akihiko chortled.

"He can also be exceptionally crass," I informed both of them as I finished bandaging his chest.

Souma cracked a smile at that. "Do I want to know what he just said?"

"Not unless you fancy blushing." I moved away only a bit to check his back. To my surprise, we hadn't sliced him there at all.

_'You told me to go easy,'_ he reminded me with a chuckle.

_'So I did.'_

I crouched in front of him once more. "Legs, Souma-kun."

His eyes widened. "How –?"

"Akihiko is aware of where he touches flesh." I smiled at him. "So let me see your legs."

He bunched up the legs of the hakema around his knees and I bent down to attend the wounds. "So, is it true what they say?" he asked, changing the subject.

"Depends on what it is," I returned, smearing salve and bandaging his right leg.

"There's a story about the first time you met Zaraki-taichō. They say that you not only could stay upright under the weight of his reiatsu, you told him it felt nice to be surrounded by it. Ow."

"Sorry about that," I told him. "Ah, well, the part they don't tell you is that I also told him his zanpakutō cried out to him, desperate for him to hear it. I'm very sensitive to the voices of zanpakutō –the cries were the equivalent of screaming to me." I looked up when I finished with his left leg. My openness about the incident was startling to me. I rarely talked about the incidents that made me famous, but there was something about Souma that made me want to open up.

"How did he react?"

"He looked at me with one eye –he was wearing his eye-patch– and asked if I could help him learn his zanpakutō's name. Would you like me to tend the cut on your cheek?" I inquired.

"I think I should keep it. My first battle scar," he intoned, amused.

"You're too young for those, Souma-kun, and soon you'll have some from real battles." I whipped away the blood gingerly and swiped salve over it. "I'll leave it unbandaged, though."

"Did you help him?" he asked.

"Zaraki-taichō?"

"Yeah."

My smile was sad. "I told him his reiatsu kept him from hearing its voice. So I taught him ways to conceal and control some of his reiatsu. I think he's may have heard its voice, but I don't know if he's heard its name. On the bright side, he can now walk into a division without leveling the personnel." I gave him a brighter smile. "All done, Souma-kun."

"Thank you, Shindo-fukataichō ma'am."

I shrugged. "For what? I caused the wounds; I mended them. it helps me feel better about hurting my sparring partners."

He shook his head. "Not for that. For talking to me. I like that you're not as distant as you presented yourself."

Ruffling his hair, I smiled ruefully. "Sometimes, it would be better if I was."

"I don't think so. I like that you care." His smile was beautiful because it reached his eyes. "I think that's one of your strengths."

* * *

_Okay! I promised you endnotes!_

_I'll start with the blade:  
_+ tachi_ - a type of Japanese sword worn by the samurai class of feudal Japan. The tachi style of swords preceded the development of the katana.  
_+ claymore_ - a two-handed sword with a double-edged blade, used by Scottish Highlanders in the 16th century.  
_+ saber_ - a heavy, one-edged sword, usually slightly curved, used especially by cavalry.  
_+ khyber knife_ - an Indo-Persian-Afghan knife designed to penetrate chain mail and other types of armor._

_Next are the Japanese phrases used for Akihiko:  
~Taiyō yori akaruku kagayaku [kanji: 太陽より明るく輝く__]: roughly means "Shine brighter than the sun."  
~Hareyakana Senpū [kanji: 晴れやかな旋風__]: roughly means "Radiant Whirlwind"_

_If the translations are off… well, I used Google Translate, and God knows _that_ isn't fool-proof…_

_Oh! In case you didn't know:  
-shihakusho = shinigami uniform. It's made up of two parts: the hakema (lower half) and the kosode (upper half)  
-shupo = flash-step  
-reiatsu = Spirit Pressure_

_I'm going to post a glossary chapter. It will include a guide the honorifics, the Japanese words/phrases from "Bleach" that I use, and the information of the different bladed weapons I'll be mentioning, because I realize not everyone is familiar with the terms I use…_

_There's a random mention of an incident with Zaraki… it will be mentioned in the next chapter, promise! Though if he were to truly learn his zanpakutō's name, the Seretei would implode, I'm sure…_

_Oh, and she has a strange relationship with Urahara… It comes to light later, promise!_

_In case it bothered any of you –the three men/boys that she faced are all my own characters, thrown in there to add something extra to the whole experience!_

_Anyway! Hope this chapter wasn't confusing! If it was, please let me know and I'll try to fix things…_

_Please review if you liked the chapter, hated the chapter, wondered why in the hell I dumped 4400 + words on you all at once, wondered why I strayed so far from the original storyline of "Strong"… Well, "if" anything, really ^^ Your reviews will keep the chapters coming!_

_Ever at your pleasure,  
~Sins~_


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